ENERGY company bpTT joined forces with other corporate citizens to give new meaning to its motto “partnering beyond petroleum” as relief efforts went into high gear following massive flooding in Mayaro last Friday.

As the extent of the disaster became apparent the day after the torrential rains, bpTT staff and employees at the Mayaro Resource Centre responded immediately to the disaster, preparing meals and food hampers for the stricken residents of the hardest-hit communities of Mafeking, Cedar Grove and Cascadoux Village.

Other companies operating in Mayaro, as well as Government agencies and the Mayaro/Rio Claro Regional Corporation, also joined the massive relief exercise, as villagers counted their losses from the heaviest rains to devastate the region in decades.

Councillor Matthew Pierre, Mayaro/Guayaguayare, assumed a leading role as the relief response gained momentum.

Visiting the area on Tuesday were Government Ministers Rennie Dumas and Anthony Roberts, who were joined by Ortoire/Mayaro MP, Franklin Khan.

Khan thanked all agencies for their humanitarian efforts to assist the flood victims, noting that the rapid response was well co-ordinated.

He assured that measures would be put in place to combat future flooding.

Utilising the Mayaro Resource Centre as a hub, bpTT staffers were assisted by community workers calling themselves “The B-Zee Team”, preparing more than 500 hot meals and braving the high waters to distribute them to marooned residents.

RENNIE STRAKER and community workers
prepare food hampers at Mafe-king
Government Primary School.

Members of the “B-Zee Team” prepare hot
meals at the Mayaro Resource Centre.

Mattresses are stacked for distribution to
Mayaro flood victims.

Leading lights of this group were Arlene Pierre, Coline Lewis, Vera Sylvester, Marie Alexander and Leslie Ann Chase.

The Mafeking Government Primary School was trans-formed into a relief centre as community workers prepared and dispatched food hampers and mattresses, generously donated by various companies, to affected villagers.

bpTT personnel and Mayaro Resource Centre staffers logged more than 1,000 man-hours in relief efforts up to Wednesday, with the exercise expected to continue until Sunday.

Cleaning of homes and spraying of affected areas are also part of the mopping-up operations.

Government Minister RENNIE DUMAS makes a point to his Cabinet colleague ANTHONY ROBERTS, as Councillor MATTHEW PIERRE and MP FRANKLIN KHAN look on.

Members of “B-Zee Team” with flood victims who received hampers and hot meals at Mafeking Government Primary School.